For those in the northeast coastal scene who rely on stripping baskets, it's always a balancing act between good ol' yankee frugality in a $2 dishpan and the $30+ "O" model. Of course for simplicity there's nothing like the molded version at a cost, but for a few dollars per basket it's worth considering making ones own cone system.

The problem is finding the cones. My most recent experiment is to Marine Goop the glass portion of plastic martini glasses, which come in two parts, to the bottom of the inside of the basket. The total cost not including the belt (which I got free with waders) is about $4-5 or 6-7 for the price of one O basket.

I am starting with the cheapest plastic glasses but if the design performs well there are unbreakable martini glasses or plastic funnels available at higher cost.

I have no idea if this will pass muster but I will report on performance after a few days on the water and if it does not fall apart I will post the instructions for the $4 cone basket.

Or, if your company/organization has a Graphic Arts/Visual (whatever) department that uses adhesive back photobase, heavy coated paper, transparent sheet or what have you like the stuff Charrette sells, then you can scrounge the plastic tube ends, which are molded like an Atlas rocket nosecone, with a .250 flat flange. Cone measures 3.00" long X 1.875" dia. Flange is 2.50" dia. Cone shoulders off at 1.750 to a blunt tip of .5

I've got the inserts in another basket. The two-sided tape they provide should be discarded; I've since bought nylon screws with rubber washers to hold them in. Besides being very short cones, the insert plus fasteners costs 4 times the cost of the martini basket, approaching the Orvis basket in price, easier to go with the de facto basket and pay the $100 for three.

The individual screw-in cones are pretty good from the fly shows but cost a lot and require some effort. I can literally goop cones into the basket within a few minutes - the whole problem here is the lack of good cones, marine goop definitely does the trick and the rubbermaid basket is durable, light, and inexpensive.

Tried the mono loops and either I was doin' it wrong or they are a pain to insert! The bottoms hang out and catch the line from below, how aggravating. If the loops are not exactly the right length they bind the line. The problem there is not the loops, but the method of attachment. I did think about gooping small weed-wacker loop holder cones, but that's another experiment for another day and a lot harder than laying a bead of goop and plunking a cone into place.

Still laughing about the doggie comment! Keep your hands out of my basket! Sorry but I forgot to mention that I cut off the "nipples" with my dremel sidecutting disc after the photo.

Frankly, I LIKE the East Coast Fisherman setup, with the nylon screws, nuts and so forth - but what do I know??? (OKAY - NOBODY BETTER WEIGH IN ON THAT, OR ELSE !!!)

Juro, I've got nine in possession (took a good long while to collect them), and I really don't figure I'm gonna use them right now; you're welcome to them. I'm at the mercy of how much roll stock the guy uses; I'd think a contact at Charrette, where they do contract work for businesses, would produce more of them than we could effectively use, kinda like Nick's boxes

Now that idea just might work. Of course, it depends on the plastic the basket is made of. And you would need a metal form to heat - that is the expensive part..

But sitting here and looking on the desk, I have a neat stack of plastic serving cups that they use to put ketchup in for kids lunches at school. (I got 'em from my wife for another project - it's OK, she got permission to bring 'em home).

While larger than plastic easter eggs, they would be too small - but if fastened them on the bottom of a plastic cup, and then turned the plastic cup upside down, that would make a good-sized (and cheap) "cone".

Invisable waders are better ... Lets see... buy the pan... and then the cones... the glue..but wait..I better go to the hardware store and get some nuts and bolts.... wait.. do I need glue also?..that's only $3.... Should I buy the cones..or go to the party favor store and get the plastic Easter eggs... I can't!... the store is only open tomorrow.. but if I stop at K-mart for the basket, I can get the glue there and swing by the hardware store and then the party favor store... Easter is over..I hope they still have the eggs... oh no ! I forgot what I will need for a strap... well ,I can search the Garage for a couple hours and I am bound to find something..... Lets see.. I figure if I time everything right it might take me a day to do this ... the travel and building... what the heck ,what else do I do on Saturdays anyway... I could always spread the project out a couple nights and trips to the store after work.... Darn...I forgot a drill.... will I need a drill or a soldering iron?????........ You Know on second though ...I think I will swing by and buy a nice one for $40.00 at Orvis (it will probably be cheaper and if time is money then it will definitly be cheaper)... and I get a free membership to TU. (I think Mine has run out) and I will spend the day fishing instead.........:eyecrazy:

It could go that way, I agree. Or it could take 5 minutes and 5 bucks. So far I have been on the 5/5 plan.

I've already gone thru three Orvis baskets that flew out of the back of my truck or were left in parking lots while changing out of waders, etc. You seem to be able to hold onto yours longer and make it worth the investment. But if I buy three more (which I need) that would put me on the all-star team for glorified dishpan big spenders, triple digit stripping basket spenders' club, platinum.

I guess to me it's the principle. I want to find a solution to such an easy problem - putting a cone system into a dishpan, which is all the orvis basket really is except for the thermoforming. How friggin hard could it be? Believe me, given 6-8 of the right size, shape and material of cone and a tube of marine goop and you're done within 10 minutes. Yet thousands of anglers have yet to solve it in a complete and elegant manner.

I don't mind spending a huge chunk of change on a rod that casts itself, a reel that personifies form and function, even a pair of waders that won't let me down. Somehow I just can't see myself paying $120 for three dishpans!

Have you tried using 200 lb. mono "straights" instead of the mono loops? This was reccomended to me over the winter and I'm going to try it this year. If you can't get the straights I beleive you can cut spooled mono into 6-8" strips and then immerse in very hot water and then cold to get the memory out. Then drill small holes in the bottom of the pan, thread the straights through and melt the mono and squash flat on the bottom.

I like the idea of the slight flexibility of the straights when the line comes ripping out of the basket. I will let you know how it works out as soon as I get a chance for some "field research"